A Home for Christmas
by The Hope Lions
Summary: My secret Santa story for Grossly- Sweet. Inspired by two prompts: "Natasha brings Skye along for Christmas at the Barton's" and "They meet without knowing who the other is? Either at the hub before SHIELD fell or randomly in any city you want." Enjoy. Happy Christmas!
1. Chapter 1

AKA I couldn't pick which of your prompts I wanted to write so I just decided to write it as two chapters to do two! Merry Christmas grossly-sweet!

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Chapter 1

They'd all made it out of England alive, but that didn't mean they were unscathed. Everyone was down and so they agreed that for the holidays everyone could go home and take a break. Coulson was staying at the Playground of course, but even May was going to her mom's. Daisy didn't feel like staying there with just Coulson, who'd been acting incredibly odd since he lost his hand, and so she came up with a BS excuse about going to New York City to visit the nuns at her Orphanage, thank them for what they'd done. Everyone suspected it was a lie, but they were too busy with their own plans to really care all that much. If Daisy wanted to wander the city, skate in Rockefeller Center, well they didn't care.

She did actually go skating, but it didn't have the same appeal considering she was wearing a short sleeve shirt. It was 60 degrees Fahrenheit out! In December! Daisy thought that anyone who didn't believe in global warming was insane; she could feel it.

And so she didn't skate for very long and just ended up strolling about the city. It looked incredibly beautiful. Lights glimmered, people chattered, and Daisy felt horribly depressed. She always did this time of year, but it was worse than it had ever been before. In the last year she'd gotten to meet her real family, and lost them again. Her dad didn't even remember her, and her mom… well Daisy didn't like to think about how that one ended. Any hopes of getting to someday be home with her family for Christmas were shattered. The closest thing she had to family were those of Shield, but even that was strained at the moment. May was upset over Andrew. Jemma was upset over Will. Coulson was bothered by killing Ward. They were all messes. And they weren't even at the Playground this year, so there wasn't any home to have.

Daisy couldn't help but think about her first Christmas with Shield. They'd been on the Bus, back in the days before Ward was revealed as Hydra, laughing, chatting, and enjoying life. Skye had even organized a secret Santa thing, which everyone, even May, got into.

Daisy couldn't help but think about how much easier her life had been as Skye. She had to change her name to honor Cal, it was true, but really Daisy just felt like she didn't know how to be Skye anymore. She was so different from how she'd been in the beginning. And it wasn't just her new powers, it was everything. That first year they'd been a team, never worrying about Hydra or the government or monsters who were actually ex-husbands who were actually inhuman killing machines. It had been so easy just to hang out on the Bus in between missions and know everything was going to be alright. Now nothing felt alright, not even her relationship with Lincoln.

Daisy had been shocked when he said that he wasn't staying at the Playground for Christmas. Apparently he had people to see, and was just hoping that the ATCU stuff was far enough back that he wouldn't be in danger. Daisy felt like he would be, but she wasn't going to stop him from doing what he needed to do, even with Lash on the loose again. If he had people to see for Christmas, well then Daisy would just be alone with it.

As night dragged in, Daisy found herself wandering into a café at the base of the Avenger's Tower. The building stood tall over the city, already fixed up from the Ultron fiasco. The Avengers were a touchy subject on the Playground. Everyone could agree that they were heroes, doing their best to save people, but they also worked the opposite way Shield did. The Avengers were in the limelight, taking the heat for their actions, but also taking the praise. Daisy was pretty sure the Avengers didn't even know that Shield existed still, few did.

"It's impressive, isn't it?" The barista spoke up after noticing Daisy staring at the tower. "Can you imagine what it must be like to have superpowers?" Daisy chuckled as she took her drink. Yeah, she could imagine that.

As Daisy sat down in one of the booths, another woman walked in. She was dressed to the nines, her ember hair pinned up fancily, and looked like a model. Perhaps she actually was a model. Daisy had the vague sense of recognition, but couldn't place it exactly. If she was a model that would explain it.

The woman plopped down at the table next to Daisy's and held up her coffee, "You know sometimes I wish these came with something a bit stronger, don't you?"

"I got fired from a Dunkin Donuts once for spiking the drinks of customers who looked like they could use it," Daisy recalled thinking of one of the many stupid things she'd done as a teen. "But I sure as Hell wish someone would do that for me."

The woman nodded, sipping slowly. "I sometimes think the Communists were right to abolish Christmas, it sucks."

Wow. For someone who looked like she'd just come from a Christmas party that was a harsh statement. "Family feud?"

"Coworkers," the woman admitted, pulling her chair so they could talk easier. Daisy was surprised that this woman was talking to her at all, but glad not to be alone. Perhaps that was why this woman had come to talk to her, because she didn't want to be alone either. "It's something stupid, like always, but I should probably go back to make sure they don't end up throwing punches."

Wow. She had a pretty crazy job apparently. "You don't seem to be moving anywhere," Daisy noted with a smile. "And I think you're smart to. Let the boys fight it out, it's not like they're going to destroy the city."

The woman chuckled, "Oh, you'd be surprised." Still, she wasn't moving, so Daisy figured the world wasn't in any real danger. "I'm Natasha."

"Daisy," she replied. She'd never had someone just come up to her and strike up a conversation before, but it was certainly nice. Especially coming from someone like Natasha who reminded Daisy a lot of May- gorgeous and tough as nails. "And let me tell you, I know a thing or two about fighting coworkers. I swear they're going to kill each other one of these days."

Natasha laughed, "It's like living in a civil war!"

Okay, not that was a weird thing to say. Skye would never have thought much on it, but Daisy was getting remarkably paranoid. Something about the way Natasha said 'live' made Daisy think it transcended the work place. "You live with your coworkers? Are you military or something?"

Natasha raised an eyebrow at that. "Do I really look that different with makeup?" Wait, so Daisy was supposed to recognize her? Natasha pulled out a mirror, and smirked. "Wow, I really do."

Daisy was so confused, and her face must have shown it because Natasha pointed to the Avengers Tower smiling, "I wasn't kidding about my coworkers having the ability to break the city."

Daisy had never felt so stupid in her life. Of course she'd recognized Natasha; the woman was a legend. She'd been sitting here talking to freaking Black Widow and hadn't even known it because the woman wasn't covered in the dirt and grime of a fight. "You're Agent Romanoff."

"I haven't been part of Shield for years now," Natasha corrected looking at Daisy with a new weariness. "What would make you think to call me that?"

Because that was how they referred to her around the Playground. "I'm sorry. That's just the name I first learned. Honestly, it's an honor, you're a real hero."

Natasha wasn't buying it, and Daisy wasn't surprised. She was, after all, the greatest spy ever. Ward had been second to her, and Ward was scary good. Natasha was even better. "You were Shield, weren't you?"

She so badly wanted to say that she still was, that Shield still existed to fight Hydra, but she couldn't. They were living on the DL for a reason, and you couldn't be on the DL if the Avengers knew about you. "Yes," Daisy admitted with a sigh. She expected Natasha to leave then and there, but the older woman seemed content with the truth. "I'm not Hydra though, if that makes you feel better."

"You must have been pretty young when it fell." When Natasha and Captain America made it fall she meant. "Who was your S.O?"

Daisy didn't want to say Ward, in case Natasha knew he was Hydra, so she went with the safer option. "Melinda May for the most part."

"I didn't realize she ever went back to Field Duty after Bahrain," Natasha smiled, obviously glad that the woman had gotten out of her funk. "May and I worked lots of ops together in the early days. She was a good woman. Do you know what she's up to now?"

"Um," Daisy had no idea how to respond without lying. (Because you can't lie to Black Widow and get away with it.) "I'm not exactly sure. One of the members of my unit turned out to be Hydra and I think she went after him." It wasn't technically a lie. Daisy didn't know what May was doing that exact moment, and they had gone after Ward.

And apparently it held enough true for Natasha to accept it. "What about you? You're so young you must have had plenty of options coming out."

"You'd be surprised how hard it is for a millennial to get a job," Daisy chuckled trying to deflect the subject. "But you… you fall from Shield, tear apart Hydra, fight robots! That's incredible."

Natasha didn't seem to think so. "We create most of our problems. I'm just trying to do my best and fight for whatever good is left in this world."

Weren't they all? "You're fighting those big impossible things Shield never could; I'd say you're doing a pretty good job."

Natasha leaned closer to Daisy, and whispered in her ear. "I hear that Shield isn't all that gone, just underground."

"What makes you think that?" Daisy had been doing a lot of work to keep Shield out of the news and out of sight. How could the Avengers know they weren't really gone?

"Colonel Rhodes had some dealings with the ATCU and they might have mentioned something. We've been looking into the Inhumans for a while, trying to see if maybe that's how Scarlet Witch got her powers." Daisy didn't know much about the newest female Avenger, but if she really was an Inhuman… Daisy had no idea how to feel about that theory. "Anyway the ATCU said they were working with a new Shield that even had some Inhuman agents. We're trying to get in contact with them, see if they're really not Hydra, pool resources. It makes you wonder if you'd ever go back."

Daisy couldn't hold back her laugh at that. "Sorry it's just…"

"Just that you can't go back because you never left, oh no, don't worry, I get it." Daisy would have felt cheated if Natasha wasn't good enough to pick up the clues. "I honestly didn't know when I started talking to you, but, well, I'm trained to pick up clues. Besides you didn't ask about the name Inhuman, and last I checked that wasn't public information."

"Look, I should probably go…" Daisy went to go, but the Avenger grabbed her arm. "Look, I really shouldn't have been talking to you in the first place…"

"Why are you alone on Christmas?"

What? Considering the recent revelations Daisy had no idea why that was Natasha's first question. "Christmas isn't until tomorrow technically…"

"But you will be alone tomorrow?" They'd already established that Daisy couldn't lie to Natasha, so she just nodded. "Good, call Fury or whoever the new Director is and tell them you're debriefing me. We can talk on the plane."

Plane? "Where are we going?"

"To the place where I went when I was a Shield agent who'd been left alone for Christmas."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After getting approval from Coulson (what was he going to say, no?) Daisy explained everything to Natasha. She omitted Coulson being alive, instead just calling him the Director. If Natasha found that suspicious, she didn't say anything. Actually she didn't say anything at all. Daisy explained everything from Ward to her own powers. She even managed to say it all without sobbing, even when talking about her mom. Natasha listened equally as professionally, but without ever seeming callous or disinterested. No, she just listened to the wild tale, and didn't ask any questions.

"Good, you trusting me makes me trust you," she finally answered with a nod. "Two days from now we can set up a meeting between the Avengers and this new Shield, try to figure things out. But tomorrow is Christmas and Laura has a strict rule about no talking work on Christmas. So I'm not even going to tell Wanda you're an Inhuman or Laura will be furious."

Daisy had no idea who this seemingly terrifyingly Laura was, but she ended up asking the more pressing question. "Wanda Maximoff right, Scarlet Witch?" Natasha nodded. "So all the Avengers are going to be there? I thought we met because you were hiding from a Tony Stark Christmas party."

"Oh no, the rest of them aren't invited. Clint basically adopted Wanda after well…" Daisy had read the file, and so she just nodded. Pietro died saving Clint Barton's life, and apparently the older man was repaying the debt by taking care of Pietro's twin. "Granted the others actually know where we're going this year, all the other years it was a secret but they've known about the farm since Ultron."

Farm? Daisy had no idea what Natasha was talking about until she looked out the window and realized they were in the middle of nowhere. "If your teammates aren't invited then why am I? You barely know me!"

"You're alone on Christmas," Natasha reminded with a sad smile. "That is just not acceptable. Steve has Sam. Tony has Pepper and Rhodey. Thor is back on Asgard. Bruce…" Well no one knew where the Hulk was spending Christmas. He'd been MIA since Sokovia. "No. Laura likes to collect orphans at Christmas time. She'd be horrified if I didn't invite you."

Daisy still had no idea who this Laura was that she seemed to hold so much sway, but surely she'd find out soon. They were pulling up to an old farm, sprawling fields and tractor in all. In the window Daisy could see a brightly colored Christmas tree, and stockings hanging from the fireplace. It looked exactly like a home was supposed to on Christmas, and it warmed Daisy's heart. This was a real home for Christmas. She'd been invited to have a real Christmas for the first time. She honestly felt like the Grinch, her heart tripling in size. Who would ever think that it would be the former KGB assassin Black Widow who'd make Daisy feel welcome somewhere on Christmas.

"Aunty Nat you need to go to sleep so Santa will come!" A little girl, probably about five, yelled running out of the house in her pajamas. When she noticed Daisy, she ran back towards her older brother and hid behind him.

"Lila, Cooper, this is Daisy," Natasha introduced ushering the kids inside. "She's a friend of mine. Now you two need to go to bed or Santa won't come. He doesn't mind if the adults are up, just the kids."

The little boy, Cooper, pouted, but he hugged Natasha and ran up the stairs. Daisy smiled at how adorable they were and followed Natasha into the kitchen. "Oh hey Nat thank God the kids will go to bed now…" he finally looked over long enough to see Daisy standing there awkwardly. "Who is that?"

"Daisy this is Clint Barton and his wife Laura," Natasha introduced like she brought random people to Christmas all the time. "Clint, Laura, this is Daisy Johnson."

Daisy figured Natasha would at least mention that she was Shield or something, but nothing else was said. Clint seemed a bit wary still, but Laura came up and hugged Daisy. "I'm glad you could come," the woman said like Daisy had actually been invited. "Do you want a glass of wine?"

"I don't drink," Daisy admitted. So long as she kept control of herself Daisy had control over her powers, but the lack of inhibitions alcohol brought were a recipe for disaster. Hawkeye had a nice little farm; Daisy would hate to accidentally level it.

Clint nodded, letting down his guard not that he knew why Daisy was here. "Unstable powers, huh? Hope they knocked Nat flat on her ass when you met."

Daisy laughed, "Actually we met in a coffee shop. And don't worry I'm not going to destroy your lovely home, I just don't drink."

"How about some sugar cookie eggnog?" Laura suggested pouring herself a glass. Daisy stared in shock. She'd loved that stuff but hadn't been able to find it for years. "Yes?"

"Who is dis?"

Daisy turned to see a girl about her age standing in the corner of the room. She wore a scarlet sequined dress and looked very festive besides for the tearstains in her eyes.

"Wanda, this is Daisy Johnson," Clint introduced, but Wanda stayed away eying Daisy warily. "It's fine, she's a friend of Natasha's."

"She's not human."

Well that wasn't creepy at all. So much for not explaining the Inhuman thing. "Um, no, not completely," Daisy admitted smiling the best she could despite the odd circumstances. "I'm part Kree. I'm not going to hurt you though. I'd much rather just sit here and drink eggnog."

Wanda relaxed at Daisy's truthfulness, even if she remained slightly wary. Daisy suspected Wanda was probably always slightly wary though. She'd been through a lot and didn't even have her touchstone anymore. Daisy had always been alone, but at least that meant she hadn't had a Pietro to lose. No wonder Wanda had been crying; it was her first Christmas without her brother.

"You are like me," Wanda asserted sitting down on the couch to watch the fireplace. Daisy, Natasha, Laura, and Clint joined her. They talked of absolutely nothing, and Daisy had never felt so blissfully happy before. This was what it was like to have a home for Christmas.

The next morning Daisy awoke to the sound of screaming children. She panicked at first, but then remembered that she was at the farmhouse and Clint had three kids under ten and it was Christmas morning. It would have been concerning if there wasn't a little bit of screaming.

Everyone else was already downstairs, and they greeted Daisy with smiles and crepes. Lila and Cooper bounced around, not eating out of excitement. Apparently they couldn't open their presents though until everyone finished breakfast, so Daisy ate quickly under their watchful eyes. The one time she stopped to answer a question, Lila's eyes basically burst out of her head in frustration. Daisy felt so terrible she basically stuffed the res down her throat.

Watching the kids open their presents was adorable, but watching the adults open theirs was hilarious. Clint got a new screwdriver set from Laura, and Laura got a "My husband's a superhero" shirt. Lila had made a macaroni necklace for both parents, and Cooper gave Clint a drawing that vaguely looked like him blowing up the world but was apparently him saving it. Clint bought Natasha pointe shoes. (This present was a lot less funny when Daisy discovered he'd been trying to get her to take up ballet again for years, but the memories led her to refuse.)

The most amusing present, however, they had to go outside to see. Clint had to lock up his bows when home (so the kids didn't shoot themselves), and sitting on top of his truck was a giant hammer. Thor's giant hammer.

"It can't be real," Clint grumbled trying to lift it. "Thor is on Asgard."

But apparently what Natasha said about Thor dropping it off was true because Clint couldn't lift it. Everyone laughed hysterically as he tried with all his might to get to his bows, but they were locked behind the hammer.

"He'll come by tomorrow to pick it up," Natasha promised with a laugh. "Granted Asgard rotates at a different speed then earth so his day might actually be more like a week…"

Clint was fuming. Everyone was laughing. Joy was in the air. This was Christmas. This was what Christmas was supposed to be.

"Thank you," Daisy told Natasha that night as they sit by the fire. "You'd think Christmas with people you just met would be awkward but I've never felt so happy."

Natasha smiled. "I remember the first time I had a real Christmas. Cooper wasn't even born yet, but Clint, Laura and I sat by the fire eating cookies and drinking milk. Three weeks before Clint had been sent to kill me and then we were eating turkey together and laughing like we were old friends. Christmas brings people together; it's just a fact."

That was certainly true. Clint, Natasha, Laura, and Wanda certainly didn't feel like strangers anymore. "So I guess we need to get our teams together now, figure out where to go from here," Daisy sighed, watching the glistening lights coming from the tree.

"Shh," Natasha ordered. "It's still Christmas."

Yes, for a few more minutes it was, and Daisy was going to enjoy it. "Merry Christmas Natasha."

"Srozhdyestvom Hristovym, Daisy." Natasha replied closing her eyes and relaxing to the feeling of having a home for Christmas.


End file.
